The Workshop is aimed at local authority HB officers making decisions about supported accommodation cases: Whether HB can be paid and, if so, how much?
Next Workshop:
Thursday, 16th October, 2025.
Full-Day Workshop: (9:40 - 4:30)
Workshop Fee: £280 (No VAT)
Book 3 places and receive a 4th place FREE.
Also available for In-House Bookings - Online or at your own training venue.
(We provide a separate Workshop and Programme for RSL’s & Accommodation PROVIDERS.)
HOUSING BENEFIT & SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION
The Complete Guide For Local Authority Staff
This Workshop is suitable for staff with a good general knowledge of Housing Benefit, but new to working with supported housing (SH) cases; or as a refresher/update for staff who already have experience of Supported Housing. The Workshop begins with the basic principles:
· The definition of “specified accommodation” that attracts HB rather than a UC housing element;
· How the HB eligible rent is calculated for each category of “specified accommodation”;
o Full rent, bedroom tax, LHA, individual RO determination, unreasonably high rent?
o Registered housing associations and others.
· The amount of government subsidy payable in each case;
· Our handy flowcharts will guide delegates to the correct decisions on all of the above issues.
More experienced staff will have a chance to refresh their knowledge and pick up new insights into issues such as:
· Identifying organisations that operate on a non-profit basis: using resources like Companies House, the FCA Mutuals Register and the register of social housing providers; understanding different forms of incorporation (companies limited by shares or by guarantee, CICs, societies, charities etc);
· The significance of connections between property owners, care providers, developers/investors and non-profit HB landlord.
The day goes on to examine how the Council establishes whether the claimant is receiving care, support or supervision to a sufficient extent to satisfy the definitions of “exempt” and “specified” accommodation. Different issues affect projects where the landlord works alongside a commissioned care provider (as in “supported living”, aka “managed” accommodation, for people with learning disabilities) and those where the only support is whatever the landlord provides (as in single homeless hostels). We look at the kind of support might be provided by landlords in both types of scheme. Two regular questions about care/support/supervision are: how does the Council judge whether a claimant was “admitted” into a “managed” supported housing scheme in order to meet a need for C/S/S; and in what circumstances might C/S/S be provided not by but on behalf of the landlord.
An emerging issue in 2025 has been the question of how much evidence the Council needs to obtain before accepting that a claimant occupies exempt/specified accommodation – with external auditors taking a keen interest. The Workshop now includes a new segment discussing evidence issues such as:
· What legal powers exist, with enforceable time limits – especially in respect of landlords?
· Is it necessary to obtain copies of personal care plans in commissioned supported living schemes?
· From whom should evidence be obtained? Here we include clarification of the different roles of appointees, deputies and attorneys.
· Can it ever safely be assumed that all tenants in a particular scheme are occupying specified accommodation, without requiring detailed evidence in each case?
The day concludes with some FAQs about service charges including security/concierge charges, fuel and cleaning in communal areas, the meaning of “communal areas” in sheltered accommodation, the correct treatment of charges for rooms set aside for the use of care/support staff … and what is probably the single most frequently asked question about exempt accommodation: Is Intensive Housing Management eligible to be funded by HB and can it count as “support” for the purpose of satisfying the definition of exempt accommodation … and can both of those things can be true at the same time? We will look at how the Regulations governing support as a service charge have evolved over the years, and what the Upper Tribunal has had to say about the matter.
Presented by the “HB Anorak” Peter Barker who has many years’ experience dealing with complex supported accommodation case work and representing both local authorities and providers in appeal cases.
Topics Covered:
Definitions
· Specified accommodation
· Exempt accommodation
Effect Of Occupying Specified Or Exempt Accommodation
· Eligible rent
o Restricted or full amount?
o LHA or LRR?
o Registered HA or other?
· Benefit cap
· Subsidy rates
Landlord Types:
· Housing associations: Registered / unregistered
· Registered charities
· Other non-profit bodies
· Understanding corporate status and using public registers
Care, Support And Supervision
· In supported living
· In single homeless schemes
· Funding
· Evidence – amount required and powers to force compliance
Service Charges
· Miscellaneous FAQs including
o Communal areas
o Concierge charges
o Service charges for things that are not services (e.g. sinking fund)
· Intensive housing management: Support v Eligible service charges
Contact us for In-House & Online booking information.
We are always pleased to arrange most of our Workshops, such as this one, for staff from an individual organisation to be held at their own training venue or by Zoom/TEAMS. Please email us with your requirements for details.